>Incarcerated Journalist and Film Maker Mohammad Nourizad on Hunger Strike for 40 Days

April 27th, 2011 – The official website for journalist and film maker Mohammad Nourizad has published a heart warming note written by Nourizad’s wife Fatemeh Maleki to her husband, in which she states that Nourizad has been on hunger strike for 40 Days. The content of the note is as follows:

In the name of God,

No father likes to come home empty handed after a long trip, but what gift is an incarcerated father to bring to his loved ones every time they visit? What can he offer when he is behind bars? After four months of incarceration at Evin’s ward 350, despite having been denied visitation rights, you could no longer endure coming to see us empty handed. It was then that you first presented a gift not only to your family but to all others present, unbuttoning your blue prison uniform to reveal a design on your undershirt – an act that filled us with joy from head to toe. So many of the other families present on that day were touched by the sight of your undershirt that read: “I love all of you immensely!” It is with this simple gesture, this heartfelt gift that you began a tradition, one that we eagerly awaited every time we came to visit with you in prison and every time we had the pleasure of speaking with you during those cabin visitations.

Your time in ward 350 was short lived as you were granted furlough. Our brothers could not tolerate seeing you free however, and you were taken back to prison towards the end of summer. This time you were not taken to ward 350, but instead transferred to the Quarantine Ward where you shared a cell with Mostafa Tajzadeh. Though we were deprived of face to face, private visitations for approximately one month, eventually we were allowed once a week cabin visitations on days that did not coincide with the standard day assigned to the families of other prisoners. It was during this time that Mrs. Mohashamipour, [Mostafa Tajzadeh’s wife] our family members and I became devoted fans of your artwork. Sometimes you would show us a piece of wood marked with a verse or poem written in your beautiful handwriting. Other times we had the pleasure of seeing a painting of the colorful flowers of the courtyard at Evin.

It was during one of these cabin visitations that you removed a glass bubble from under your shirt upon which you had eloquently written the verses of a sonnet from Hafez in black ink.

16 months have passed since your incarceration and it is close to 40 days since you restarted a hunger strike protesting the lack of attention to your legal rights and refusing all visitation – a course that I am sure you will continue until you have obtained your rights. I too will join you in this quest, refusing to request any form of visitation or telephone contact.

There is one thing I vehemently disagree with, the matter of your hunger strike – particularly given your gum disease, skin disorder and kidney stones. Your hunger strike has become a matter of great concern to our entire family as we are unaware how long it will last. It goes without saying that we all await your release and the release of all other innocent prisoners. Freedom is the minimum response to all the inhumanity that has taken place during this time. The glass bubble upon which you had written a few verses from one of Hafez’s sonnets so eloquently depicts our feelings these days:

* To profligates, thirsty of lip, none giveth (even) a little water Those recognizing holy men have departed from this land.